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Stormwind Royal Guard (Guild)
|Row 5 title = Commanding Officer |Row 5 info = Sir Londuin Elkhelm |Row 6 title = Divisions |Row 6 info = The Lion's Guard The King's Cavaliers |Row 7 title = Divisional Commanders |Row 7 info = N/A |Row 8 title = HQ |Row 8 info = Stormwind Keep ---- |Row 9 title = Role |Row 9 info = Military / Paramilitary |Row 10 title = Affiliations |Row 10 info = Brotherhood of the Horse Stormwind Army ---- |Row 11 info = |image = Royal Honor Guard.png |imagewidth = 338 }} The Stormwind Royal Guard '''is responsible for the protection of the House of Wrynn and Stormwind Keep. It serves as an independent paramilitary guard sworn solely to the House Wrynn, and with no higher oaths. The Stormwind Royal Guard is comprised primarily of the most zealous and skilled anointed Knights of the Brotherhood of the Horse by appointment of either the King of Stormwind or the appointed corps commander. The Stormwind Royal Guard is commanded by the Monarch of the Kingdom of Stormwind, His Majesty Anduin Wrynn. The incumbent commanding officer is Sir Londuin the Stalwart. Structure The structure of the Stormwind Royal Guard is unique. It is unique because it is the direct protective service for His Majesty the King of Stormwind. This means the regiment must be flexible. It must adapt to serve a standby role in theatres of peace, and a martial capacity in theatres of war. Moreover, all members of the Royal Guard are Knights of His Majesty's Court. Only the most loyal and honorable knights serve in the Stormwind Royal Guard. The Guard is split into two divisions: the Lion's Guard and the King's Cavalry Brigade (colloq. King's Cavaliers). Each division follows the same structure. Command Structure The Command Structure of the '''Royal Guard is as follows: Royal Command Absolute command over the Royal Guard is reserved solely for the House of Wrynn. The foremost commander is the Monarch themselves, followed by his lawful regent and family members based on the line of succession, if applicable. While the authority of these people is supreme, it is normally only ceremonial. * Monarch of the Kingdom of Stormwind (King Anduin Wrynn) * Regent of the Kingdom of Stormwind (N/A) * The Royal Family (House Wrynn) Corps Command Whether at peace or at war, practical command of the Royal Guard is entrusted to a singular ranking knight appointed directly by the Monarch. * Knight-Champion, Commander of His Majesty's Royal Guard (Sir Londuin Elkhelm) Divisional Command The two divisions of the Royal Guard are each commanded by a single Knight-Captain, who take on both administrative and leadership roles of their respective divisions. * Knight-Captain, First Lance of the King's Cavalry Brigade * Knight-Captain, First Shield of the Lion's Guard Division Structure Each company of the Royal Guard in either division is led by a singular Knight-Lieutenant, who in turn commands the remaining Knights of the Royal Guard with the direction of their superiors. * Knight-Lieutenant * Knight of the Royal Guard Divisional Roles The Stormwind Royal Guard has a number of roles. The two divisions generally take on these tasks, however, each division is capable of performing all of these tasks based on necessity. King's Cavalry Brigade The King's Cavalry Brigade is two full strength companies of two-hundred (200) lances each, known as Adamant Company and Barathen Company - both named after King Barathen 'Adamant' Wrynn. The King's Cavalry Brigade are colloquially known as the King's Cavaliers. These cavaliers are commanded by the First Lance, who is a Knight-Captain. Keeping the King's Road One of the major tasks of the Royal Guard is to keep the King's Road clear of threats. The King's Cavalry Brigade patrols these roads and hold them open for anyone's passage. Although this is technically a Royal Edict, it is a substantial and permanent edict that requires constant commitment of forces and has its own division. Royal Edicts It is to the Royal Cavalry Brigade that the execution of Royal Edicts tends to fall. These edicts can range from securing a location from the clutches of the enemy to ensuring the price of apples remains constant. However, protracted edicts tends to be adopted and carried out by the relevant civil authorities; the Royal Guard are excellent at delegating. High Treason Upon discovery of High Treason, the Royal Guard is called to carry out the warrant on the King's behalf. A member of the Royal Guard is also chosen to carry out the execution of anyone found guilty of High Treason - this is assuming the King, or a member of the Royal Family, does not carry out the execution. Lion's Guard The Lion's Guard is a single half-sized company of seventy-five (75) knights. At times when the King enters the theatre of war, this company doubles in size. The best knights from regiments around the army are called upon to serve in the Lion's Guard. These knights are commanded by the First Shield, who is a Knight-Captain. Physical Protection The responsibilities of the Royal Guard are first and foremost the physical protection of the Royal Family, the defence of Stormwind Keep, the personal protection of the monarch in times of war and maintaining the security of Crown assets. The Royal Guard also extend under Royal edict to offer protection to vassals and dignitaries of the King's favor. Integrity of the State This is not dissimilar to High Treason, though is usually symptomatic of political shifts rather than outright treason. The Royal Guard are extremely sceptical of any changes in law that diminish the power of the monarch. Ensuring the integrity of the state also involves ensuring military leaders are performing their duties and so forth. This role is rather ambiguous due to the vast social and martial sphere that the King may wish the Royal Guard check on. Intelligence The Royal Guard operates mostly on the information gathered by SI:7. These guardsmen are also responsible for asset management, informant protection and providing secure channels of communication to members of the Royal Family and the unit. Trial by Combat In the unlikely event that the King accepts a trial by combat or a duel in any matter, a member of the Brotherhood of the Horse can be chosen to represent the King. With a great number of Brothers, all with the close confidence of the King, members of the Royal Guard often are chosen. Theatre of War When the Monarch of Stormwind enters the theatre of war, the Stormwind Royal Guard serves as the King's personal vanguard. Upon entering the theatre of war, the King's appointed corps commander assumes battlefield command so that the King himself is free to perform other tasks. The Stormwind Royal Guard's two divisions generally structure themselves in the following battlefield formation as viewed from their front: King's Cavalry Brigade Adamant and Barathen companies protect the left and right flanks of the formation, respectively. The two brigades also work as skirmishers on the battlefield who can quickly meet any incoming forces, either to deter them or to engage them. The two brigades also provide flanking opportunities for formations that meet the Stormwind Royal Guard head-on. The symmetric nature of their positioning means neither company is afforded any special roles. The Lion's Guard The Lion's Guard consists of four* total companies. Three of these, namely Varian Company, Llane Company, and Lothar Company '''form the heart of the royal vanguard, while the remaining '''Fordragon Company occupies and defends Stormwind Keep and acts as a reserve, commanded by their Knight-Lieutenant, who holds the office of Castellan of Stormwind Keep. (*Reported sizes of these companies do not include any attached auxiliary forces such as standard-bearers, instrumentalists, and any other attachments.) Varian and Llane companies consist of one hundred (100) men each. They form the left and right halves of the vanguard's lines respectively and consist of heavily armored shield-bearing dismounted knights armed with long spears and shortswords. They are capable of assuming phalanx- or testudo-formations as the situation demands, as well as being able to engage with enemy forces directly. Lothar Company is the formation's rear guard, consisting of one hundred and fifty (150) men. Similar to their partner companies, they are armed with long spears, shortswords, and shields. In addition to the King, they are also responsible for the safety of auxiliary forces, such as healers, summoners, and others. Fordragon Company, the aforementioned defenders of Stormwind Keep and the Royal Guard's reserve company, are the same size as Llane Company with one hundred and fifty (150) men. In accordance with their role as a stationary company, they are not armed with anything more than shortswords and shields; however, they are familiar with the Keep's defenses and have access to its armories. The Royal Guard Auxiliary 'is a Lion's Guard company of varying size comprised of regulars of the Stormwind Army who augment the Royal Guard in a number of ways. Footmen, healers, wizards, ranged units, and other specialist roles are assigned to the auxiliary to serve as reinforcement to the larger body of the Royal Guard in their various duties as well as on the battlefield. Commanders The commanders of the formation, including the King and any of his chosen companions, are normally located at its heart, along with the formation's standard-bearers and instrumentalists who facilitate movement orders for each company to follow. Internal Governance With the exception of Royal Auxiliaries, members of the Stormwind Royal Guard are all anointed Knights of the Brotherhood of the Horse. The Knights given the distinguished honor are usually seasoned military veterans who do not seek further promotion or movement up the hierarchy. The Knights are expertly trained in warfare and act as a paramilitary unit when the Monarch decides to enter the theatre of war. Sworn to the Crown Knights of the Stormwind Royal Guard have undying loyalty to their Monarch. For this reason, the Knights will only take orders from outside their hierarchy when there is no preceding order from a member of the Royal Family or their own hierarchy. For Knights of the Stormwind Royal Guard, secondary organisations such as the Grand Alliance do not hold the vows and loyalties of the Knights directly. The knights are only indirectly loyal to these organisations through the will of the Monarch. Reforms Since the infiltration of the Stormwind Royal Guard following the death of King Varian Wrynn, the corps has undergone significant reforms. The new reforms are designed to give Knights of the Stormwind Royal Guard more freedom in pursuing leads of suspected treasonous plots. The Stormwind Royal Guard has also increased its public affairs aims to increase its awareness of the common plights, in the hopes this will boost trust and intelligence-gathering for the protection of its charges. History ''(The following consists entirely of guild fanon constructed using the IC history made available on the wikia. Acknowledgement of the following is not required. -Londuin) The Stormwind Royal Guard has an extensive history with roots reaching as far back as the War for Stormwind's Independence, wherein the Kingdom of Azeroth was founded and its first King was named in Logan Wrynn I, making it one of Stormwind's oldest units still in service. '''Part I: The Azerothian Guard After the death of his father King Logan Wrynn I, King Daniel Wrynn founded the Brotherhood of the Horse and appointed to it the foremost heroes of the War for Stormwind’s Independence. The most zealously loyal and skilled of these heroes were given a place in the household of the Monarch, who were called the Azerothian Guard and were the progenitors of the Stormwind Royal Guard. After the murderous assassination of King Thomas Wrynn I, blame was shifted by the culprit, Mary Brightwood, onto Samson Wrynn, who, in the eyes of many, was the rightful King. Among these many were the Knights of the Azerothian Guard, but to them, it was not a matter of rights and laws. They were sworn to the service of House Wrynn, and crown or no crown, they would serve the ruler of the house and all their extensions without question. Throughout the Ten Years’ Strife, the Azerothian Guard was unshaken and unfractured, which even the rest of the Brotherhood of the Horse cannot claim. Following the victory of the forces of Samson Wrynn, the Brotherhood of the Horse was given the tower-fortress of Karazhan as a home and headquarters. The Azerothian Guard, however, despite being Knights of the Brotherhood, would not leave the King’s side, and made their home in Stormwind Keep, the seat of Azeroth’s power and home of the Monarch; it was during this time that the Azerothian Guard became known as the King's Honor Guard, representative of the fact that they served the Crown alone. Part II: Reign of Barathen I Come the reign of King Barathen Wrynn, the Royal Guard, for the first time in history, was truly crippled. During the Gnoll War, when King Barathen rode personally to face Garfang and his pack in Redridge, the King's Honor Guard was naturally included in his retinue. Although they were victorious after a full day and night of fighting, half of the King’s retinue had been slain. Despite this, the Royal Guard rallied with the King to see the remains of the gnoll packs stamped out, forever ending the gnoll threat to Stormwind and its territories. In the years between the Gnoll War and the Gurubashi War, the Royal Guard slowly but surely recuperated from its devastating losses in the former. In the span of fifty years, many Knights of the Royal Guard of that time retired and were replaced with new appointments, constituting a return to full capacity by the time the latter war began. Throughout the Gurubashi War, which had begun as a result of Prince Llane’s retaliation for a Gurubashi warband’s sacking of three Westfall villages, the Royal Guard was effectively halved between the retinues of King Barathen and Prince Llane. The detail of the former was lost during the Gurubashi siege of Stormwind City, which was broken by King Barathen’s charge into the Gurubashi lines in an effort to kill their warlord, Zan’non. Once more, the Royal Guard found itself dangerously lessened in capacity, again by the recklessness of King Barathen. Part III: Reign of Llane The King's Honor Guard lived on in the half which had been assigned to the Prince, now King, Llane Wrynn. As they always have, the Royal Guard served the new King faithfully, especially through the danger of the First War. During this time, however, the Royal Guard would be struck with one of the darkest marks in its long history: the failure to protect the Monarch. When Garona Halforcen sank her knives into King Llane, Stormwind was driven to defeat, and the Royal Guard was routed. As all younglings of Stormwind know, Sir Anduin Lothar led the people of Stormwind in exodus to Lordaeron, and would go on to form the Alliance of Lordaeron to counter the Orcish Horde in the Second War. The vestiges of the Royal Guard lived on, overseeing the raising of the young King Varian Wrynn in Lordaeron until his eventual return to Stormwind following the victorious outcome of the Second War. Part IV: Reign of Varian Along with the rest of the kingdom, the Royal Guard slowly recovered. Renamed to what it is known as now, it remained a small unit with limited capacity as a consequence of the annihilation of the Brotherhood of the Horse, and seldom left Stormwind Keep as a result. It is widely accepted as fact that this reduced capacity was a factor in the death of Queen Tiffin Ellerian-Wrynn, in that they were simply too few to keep her safe when she pleaded the case of the Stonemason's Guild. There are some who believe her death was a conspiracy by the Royal Guard to secure the throne for House Wrynn alone; very few actually believe this, and representatives of the Royal Guard has vehemently denied these accusations throughout the years. After the kidnapping of King Varian, the Royal Guard became the foremost defense of young Prince Anduin Wrynn. Informally led by Bolvar Fordragon, the Royal Guard saw a period of growth as Stormwind’s armies were bolstered in preparation for war with the Horde. It was during this time that the Royal Guard took its first steps toward the period of strength it finds itself in today, expanding into a number of companies that could be deployed when needed. When King Varian returned and assumed his throne once more, the Royal Guard entered another period of growth, this one even greater than the last. Under the leadership of the King, the Royal Guard flourished, becoming a mighty force once more, as it had been in ages past. They saw combat with the Monarch frequently, as King Varian lived up to his reputation as a frontline warrior, and with this fact came the seasoning of its knights into a truly elite martial force. At the Battle of the Broken Shore, the Royal Guard was well-represented by the King’s side. Along with most of the invasion force, many Knights of the Royal Guard perished bravely. Most of the overall force, however, remained in Stormwind City to oversee the safety of Prince Anduin, which proved a boon in the months that followed. Only after the Broken Shore was it revealed that the Royal Guard had been infiltrated by the Burning Legion. At the funeral service for King Varian, the Legion revealed itself and made an attempt on the life of King Anduin, but was thankfully squashed by heroes and leaders of the Alliance, as well as Knights of the Royal Guard itself. Following this, a number of immediate reforms were made to ensure that such an infiltration would never happen again. Part V: Reign of Anduin Though it is early yet in the reign of King Anduin Wrynn, much has happened in the Royal Guard itself. Many changes plotted out following the Legion's infiltration were enacted, resulting in a more secure corps and therefore a more secure King. The rest of the tales are yet to be written, but there are plenty of blank pages to be filled with deeds in the years to follow.Category:Stormwind Royal Guard Category:Stormwind Army Category:House of Wrynn Category:Brotherhood of the Horse Category:Knights Category:Kingdom of Stormwind